Our Lucky Penny

We have a new dog in our household - Penny, our Lab/Irish Setter/Mutt of a girl who is simply wonderful! We just happened upon her at the local humane society (while we were "just looking" - HA! Has anyone walked out of there without a pet before??), but we couldn't have asked for a better dog! We think she is around 1-year-old, but she has these gorgeous brown eyes that seem to have already lived a lifetime.

She came with the name Penny, and she's proving the old saying correct more and more each minute about how your luck will change if you pick up a stray penny.

When we were tossing around other name ideas, Hannah chimed in with the name Nonny. As if bringing a dog home isn't fraught with enough emotions in and of itself, this one pulled on the heart strings even further. "Nonny" is Jeff's grandmother figure, but is actually his Great Aunt Ethel. She is by far the sweetest woman I have ever met. She just emanates kindness and compassion and has had such a positive impact on everyone who knows her. We were absolutely thrilled when the girls got to meet Ethel this past weekend while she and Jeff's parents were in town for a funeral, and Hannah hasn't stopped talking about her since. As far as temperament goes, the name Nonny would fit perfectly as Penny is just so full of love and absolutely adores the girls - even with all the eye pokes, hair pulling and strangling hugs that they dole out. But, while it was the highest compliment Hannah could give anyone, we were afraid Ethel may not take to having a dog named after her!

So lucky Penny stuck, and we are enjoying every moment with her! Hannah has woken up in the middle of the night each night since we first saw her she's been so excited about "her puppy." (I'm hoping that can be toned down a bit, actually!)

I wasn't sure we were ready for another dog as it has only been a few months since we lost Eve, but Penny has lifted our spirits more in the past few days than we thought imaginable. Hannah says it best - "It's gonna be a fun day today, Ma Ma!" Hee hee!!!!

Can We Go Out In Public Like This?

Behold the power of fashion!

Up until now, I have intentionally never given Hannah a choice in what she wears, simply because I don't want to have to spend 3 hours each morning arguing over what that is. Yet somehow we've reached that point, and I'm not sure how to turn back!

However, she's not all that particular about what outfit she wears, it just has to be a dress. "I need to be fancy, Ma Ma." She views wearing shorts as a form of cruel punishment and instantly starts negotiating her way out of it. Needless to say, for the past couple of weeks, we have found ourselves at a park, in a sandbox, in a chicken coop, on a boat and a number of other locations that are all worthy of a good pair of shorts ... in girly dresses instead.

Were it not for the fact that she has such a tomboy personality, I'd say she was born in the wrong century as she thinks all girls should wear dresses all the time. In fact, whenever we come back home, all is not right until she gets back into her bright pink, frilly, sparkly, twirling dress. I can see her sigh with relief once she has it on! "I can't dance without my pink dress," she tells me in an exasperated tone!

So our day usually consists of countless wardrobe changes before all is said and done. Mid breakfast, she is horrified that her socks don't match. An hour later, she has to wear ballet slippers, which for whatever reason require a different pink frilly dress from the one she currently has on. Finally, her mean mother makes her put on something that does not contain any tulle or an excessive amount of sequins before leaving the house, and we start the cycle all over again.

All is not lost, however. She knows I don't understand or agree with any of this and her adventures would be cut short if I have to wait for her to change to get out the door. So that girl can whip in and out of outfits in no time, and always puts away her fancy dresses. The only real battles we have revolve around pajamas. "These pants aren't comfortable. I just need a dress - I really do!" she weeps each night.

But being forced to wear pants as pajamas may actually be helping her fall asleep faster because the shame and horror of not wearing a dress is simply more than she can bear. Within seconds of waking up each morning, she opens her closet door, pulls a tote over so she can kneel on top of it, and reaches a dress so the humility can finally come to an end. She comes out of her room wearing a dress (often over her PJs and on backwards) with her hair going every which way and a tangled knot of necklaces around her neck, but she has a smile on her face and her first words each morning are, "Look Ma Ma (as she twirls around) ... I be fancy!"

It truly is a great way to wake up!

Photo: Hannah is wearing two dresses over her pajamas, complete with a stunning array of hair barrettes and necklaces, not to mention sparkly rubber bands substituting as bracelets. I hear it's all the rage in Europe!